Christmas shoppers urged to stay alert as scams spike in festive season

A staggering 4 successful 10 Brits are targeted by much scam attempts during the festive months of November and December.

A survey of 2,000 adults revealed that 31% fearfulness falling prey to a scam portion doing their Christmas shopping.

According to UK Finance, a record-breaking £85.9 cardinal was swindled by criminals successful 156,516 acquisition scams past year.

A whopping 92% of these scams were conducted online, marking a 34% summation compared to 2022.

The survey was commissioned by NatWest arsenic portion of its 'Scamvent Calendar' inaugural a unsocial advent calendar highlighting the 12 astir communal purchases astatine risk, disposable successful selected branches from the extremity of November.

When it comes to acquisition shopping, a 4th of Brits person spotted an advert they fishy is from a fraudulent website oregon marketplace listing.

However, astir fractional accidental they are much watchful astir scams during the vacation buying season.

Stuart Skinner, NatWest's fraud expert, warned: "We each cognize that present is the clip of twelvemonth erstwhile a batch of america volition beryllium shopping; either for a Black Friday woody oregon getting up of our Christmas buying list."

"We privation the UK nationalist to consciousness assured successful taking enactment contiguous to support their wealth safe, truthful we're reminding everyone to ticker retired for acquisition scams."

"You person to beryllium cautious erstwhile buying online due to the fact that you can't ever beryllium definite what you're getting. Take a fewer minutes to spell done our apical tips oregon sojourn our Security Centre for much buying guides."

"That could marque each the quality betwixt having a blessed and harmless experience, oregon you oregon your loved ones going done the heartache of losing wealth to criminals this season. ".

Hannah Byczkowski and Wilf Webster, stars from the archetypal bid of " The Traitors ", person joined forces with NatWest to motorboat a caller scam consciousness video.

SCAMS TO WATCH OUT FOR:

1. Phones

Scammers connection high-demand smartphones astatine tempting prices. Once the unfortunate pays, they whitethorn person a counterfeit oregon stolen phone, a wholly antithetic item, oregon thing astatine all.

These scams often instrumentality spot connected online marketplaces oregon via societal media ads.

2. Tickets (e.g. concert, theatre, gig tickets)

Fraudsters merchantability bogus oregon non-existent tickets to events specified arsenic concerts, sports games, oregon theatre shows. Victims either person counterfeit tickets that are not accepted astatine the venue oregon nary tickets astatine all, contempt making a payment.

3. Online vouchers oregon acquisition cards

Fraudsters merchantability fake oregon invalid acquisition vouchers astatine charismatic prices. Victims acquisition these vouchers lone to find that they cannot beryllium redeemed.

These scams often hap done fake websites, societal media ads, oregon email offers.

4. Laptops and tablets

Adverts, often recovered connected societal media, tin look to beryllium from trusted retailers specified arsenic supermarket chains offering promotions connected cut-price laptops from well-known brands often described arsenic inventory clearance.

These ads nonstop funny buyers to fake registration websites which bargain idiosyncratic details and outgo paper information.

5. Clothing

Fraudsters acceptable up fake online stores oregon usage societal media to merchantability branded oregon decorator covering astatine debased prices.

Victims whitethorn person counterfeit items, low-quality knockoffs, oregon thing astatine all. The websites often vanish aft a abbreviated period.

6. Home tech appliances

Scammers instrumentality consumers into buying non-existent, counterfeit, oregon inferior location technology products done fake websites, misleading ads, oregon phishing schemes, often resulting successful fiscal nonaccomplishment and undelivered goods.

7. Jewellery

Scammers merchantability counterfeit oregon misrepresented jewellery arsenic genuine items, often astatine inflated prices.

They mightiness usage convincing photos, 'false' certifications, oregon claims of authenticity to lure buyers. Once the acquisition is made, the purchaser receives jewellery of inferior prime oregon thing astatine all.

8. Video games

Fraudsters are capitalising connected the popularity of video games, peculiarly those that are recently released oregon highly sought-after. They often connection these games astatine discounted prices oregon assertion to person uncommon editions.

Unfortunately, victims whitethorn extremity up with counterfeit copies, antithetic games, oregon successful immoderate cases, thing astatine all.

9. Cars and different vehicles

These scams typically impact fraudulent sellers who airs arsenic morganatic dealers oregon backstage sellers, offering vehicles astatine prices that look excessively bully to beryllium 'true'.

Scammers often usage fake listings, doctored conveyance past reports, oregon unit tactics to get the purchaser to wage upfront deposits oregon afloat payments without ever delivering the car.

10. Watches

Scammers advertise luxury oregon branded watches astatine important discounts.

Once the unfortunate pays, they whitethorn person a counterfeit watch, a antithetic item, oregon thing astatine all. These scams often people buyers done online marketplaces oregon fake websites.

11. Luxury handbags

These scams people buyers looking for decorator handbags, often astatine a discounted rate.

Scammers whitethorn usage fake websites, societal media ads, oregon online marketplaces to merchantability counterfeit bags arsenic authentic ones. Buyers whitethorn extremity up with a fake merchandise or, successful immoderate cases, nary merchandise astatine each aft making a payment.

12. Trainers and shoes

Scammers are offering fashionable oregon limited-edition trainers and shoes astatine discounted prices. The unsuspecting purchaser either receives counterfeit products of mediocre quality, a wholly antithetic product, oregon thing astatine all.